Ideal Standard Investing in Growth

Ideal Standard focusing on Serving Professionals with Water Expertise

For more than 100 years, Ideal Standard has shaped the sanitary industry with leading innovation. Products like the single-lever tap, the rimless toilet or the ultra-flat shower tray were pioneered by us. We are uniquely positioned with deep-rooted engineering and manufacturing expertise in the Ceramic as well as in the Taps & Fittings product categories, providing high-quality residential, commercial and healthcare bathroom solutions.

As shown by our recently published preliminary 2016 financial results, Ideal Standard is on a growth path. Sales reached €739m in 2016 and reported EBITDA results grew by 14% to €81m. As we continue to advance the company, we are building on a strong legacy and are investing in further growth and value creation for our customers.

Professionals are at the heart of the sanitary industry. If you’re an architect, contractor or plumber, in a company big or small, you want solutions to meet your needs. Your clients ask you for better sustainability and enhanced experience; great design with great functionality. That’s why we’re making it our mission to Serve Professionals with Water Expertise. And we’re investing heavily in new products and ways of working, with a full pipeline of innovation ahead.

Connected Intelligence
Global megatrends have a significant impact on the use of our most precious resource, Water. Demographic changes, the need for greater sustainability, the fight against infection in healthcare environments and the increasing digitalisation of our lives require more holistic solutions. Solutions Ideal Standard makes possible through what we call Connected Intelligence.

But we invest in more than just product innovation. We are creating a different experience of doing business with Ideal Standard, making it easy and convenient to connect with us, across categories, through enhanced digital interfaces and value added service. Helping our professional customers advance their business, this is what Connected Intelligence means for Ideal Standard. To connect them with solutions that respond to their challenges and meet their needs, that make more effective use of water, are easier to install, more durable or use innovative materials and shapes.

A new look for the Group
To reflect our pursuit for connected intelligence that drives innovation in the sanitary industry, we’ve created a new brand identity that represents what we as a company stand for.
The two interlocking rings are a symbol of our connection with our professional customers. A symbol of seamless partnership and dynamic water flow. A reflection of our desire to help our customers advance their business through our insights, our expertise and our solutions. This symbiotic relationship with our customers creates Connected Intelligence.

Largest investments in 10 years
As a company, we realize that corporate strategies can’t just be mission statements. That’s why we have committed significant resources to the implementation of our strategy and are making the largest investment that our business has seen in ten years.

Over the course of the next three years, we will invest considerable funds in three specific areas that truly add value for our customers: Investments in manufacturing technology and production capacity to ensure we can support our customers’ growth; investments in product innovation to help our customers differentiate and respond to their client needs; and investments in Customer Service, with a particular emphasis on digital tools like Building Information Modeling (BIM) which will drive significant improvement in building efficiency.

Innovation stream at ISH
Continuing on our strong innovation legacy, Ideal Standard premieres a number of innovative product solutions this year at ISH:
- Intellimix is a touch-free tap delivering both soap and water from a single device, saving more than 50% of water and soap and at the same time providing a never seen before user hand-washing experience and intuitive user interface. Intellimix sets a new benchmark in total cost of ownership and sustainability.
- After years of clinical research we launch a powerful combination to fight against the spread of bacteria in healthcare environments. The Markwik 21+ tap in combination with the Contour 21+ basin reduces splashing by more than 90% through its patented Hydrofin at the base of the basin. The unique combination of materials used and internal water flow design of our Markwik 21+ tap, as well as its fully demountable components, guarantees bacteria are eliminated.
- For residential and hotel applications, we launch the ceramic suite Connect Air with our award winning revolutionary Aquablade® flush technology that sets unprecedented standards in toilet hygiene and water efficiency.
- Also for the residential and hotel area, we introduce our new Ipalyss™ vessel range featuring Ideal Standard’s latest innovation in ultra-thin ceramic material, Diamatec. This patented new material was developed using a unique blend of specially refined materials, resulting in exceptional robustness that allows designers to achieve the near impossible: extremely thin, straight edges that are extremely robust and durable. The striking aesthetics of our Ipalyss™ range were developed in collaboration with the award-winning British designer, Robin Levien and his design studio Studio Levien.

Commenting on today’s news, Torsten Türling, Chief Executive Officer of Ideal Standard International: “This year’s ISH is not like any other exhibition. It represents a milestone in the evolution of our company. We present our sharpened long term strategy and our new corporate brand that represents what we stand for as a company. Our path forward is clear: making significant investments in growth , focusing on the needs of our professional customers and driving innovation through Connected Intelligence. I am also grateful for the trust and support from our investors, who are as confident as we are in our future and have provided additional funding to grow the company. Ultimately for us it’s all about delivering value for our customers.”

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About Ideal Standard International
Ideal Standard International is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality residential, commercial and healthcare bathroom solutions. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, the privately-owned company employs almost 9,500 people and operates 18 manufacturing sites, serving over 60 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Using the latest technologies and working with world class designers, the company is focused on developing innovative bathroom solutions across multiple product categories including bathroom Ceramics, Taps & Fittings, Bathing & Wellness and Furniture & Accessories. Its products are sold under strong international and local brands such as Ideal Standard, Armitage Shanks (UK), Porcher (France), Ceramica Dolomite (Italy) and Vidima (Eastern Europe).